Nancy Guthrie Update: Sheriff Believes New Evidence Could Bring Major Breakthrough

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos believes that new DNA evidence could be the key to solving Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, over 100 days after she went missing from her home in Arizona.

Despite a growing sentiment among the public that the case isn't heading anywhere, Sheriff Nanos is confident that a major breakthrough is just around the corner. In his most recent address regarding Guthrie's disappearance, he said:

"We have DNA that is unknown - who the contributor or depositor is - but I think they're getting closer to finding out who that was [...] When the labs tell us, 'Hey, there's nothing else we can do,' well, then maybe we've got a problem... we've got a cold case. But right now, the labs aren't telling us that." (via IB Times)

Nanos is referring to forensic evidence that was taken from a blood spatter at Guthrie's home from the night of her disappearance, which is currently undergoing cutting-edge genetic analysis. Some of the DNA evidence has reportedly been sent to the FBI's leading facility in Quantico, Virginia.

Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1, 2026, and hasn't been seen since. The local police quickly deduced that she had been forcibly abducted, and her family has since offered $1,000,000 for any information that leads to her recovery.

In the days following her disappearance, the family received several alleged ransom notes demanding over a million dollars' worth of cryptocurrency, but the FBI confirmed that none of the letters were legitimate. There is still no confirmed suspect in the case.

Guthrie's doorbell camera picked up footage of a masked individual entering the property on the night of her disappearance, which was recovered by the FBI.

Although he believes the evidence could yield an important breakthrough, Nanos is also careful to ensure the investigation isn't rushed. "Nobody wants to make a false arrest. Nobody wants to falsely accuse somebody," he told People. "At some point in time, someday we may have somebody in a courtroom that deserves his or her right to have a fair and impartial trial. The way you get that is through a fair and impartial investigation."

"This is just like any other case. Sometimes you solve them within hours or days. Sometimes it takes a long time."

Nanos also expressed that new tips are coming in every day, and it's entirely possible that somebody with information about Nancy Guthrie's location still hasn't come forward. The case, he explained, will not be considered "cold" until no further evidence is actively being investigated.

Anyone with information pertaining to the case is asked to call the FBI (1-800-CALL-FBI).

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 4:19 AM.